According to the reports, former Ghanian President, Jerry Rawlings passed away on Thursday, 12th of November 2020 at the age of 73..
While some reports claimed the former president died of COVID-19, his family in a statement signed by Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, said Rawlings died after a brief illness.
The statement read in part, “It is with deep sadness that the family of His Excellency Jerry John Rawlings (Rtd), informs the general public that the former President of the Republic died on Thursday morning after a short illness.”
Jerry Rawlings will be remember as part of the individuals who shaped the history of Ghana as a Military head of state and also as a democratic president
Below are some things you may not know about Jerry Rawlings;
John Rawlings was born on 22nd June 1947 in Accra to a Ghanaian mother and a Scottish father.
Rawlings attended Achimota School where he secured his General Certificate of Education ‘O’ Level in 1966.
After his ‘O’ level, he joined Ghana Air force as Flight Cadet in 1967, he later joined the cadet training unit in Ghana Military Academy and Training School.
On May 28, 1979, Flt.-Lt. Rawlings and other six military officers appeared before the court after failed coup attempt.
He went on to justify the coup citing corruption and headship as the reason for it.
He was sentence to death publicly, however, while awaiting execution, a group of soldiers on June 7, 1979 storm the cells where he was imprisoned and freed him.
Shortly after he staged a successful overthrow of the Supreme Military Council (SMC) Government and led the group in a coup to oust the Akuffo Government and Supreme Military Council.
He form the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC).
During the 112 days of the AFRC leadership, Rawlings order the execution of eight military officers by firing squad.
In 1992, Rawlings resigned from the military, founded the National Democratic Congress (NDC), and became the first President of the Fourth Republic. He was re-elected in 1996 for four more years.
Rawlings until his death was married to Nana Konadu Agyeman and they had four children together; 3 daughters and one son.